by Eddie ColeIt is with heartfelt empathy that I write this. Over the years, we as a community have always stood together in tragedy and various hard times. Due to the recent turn of events, I am saddened to hear of the passing of the Winifred Mount, First Lady of the Historic Town of Eatonville, Florida, America's first black Incorporated town.

By Roger CaldwellThere is a fight brewing in Florida and many people argue that guns should be allowed on college campuses. To begin with, this is an absurd notion because many students are too young to get a permit to carry a concealed weapon. But common sense does not prevail when conservatives and Republicans start talking about their guns.

by Lawrence A. RobinsonWhen I think about my friends and family members who have transitioned out of this earthly physical presence into my memory, I usually smile. I smile because my thoughts are only of the good times that we shared. I almost never think about unhappy incidents during our times here together. The memory is always clear and even if the actual incident was painful, the memory still makes me smile. Such is the case with my good friend, Charles Campbell who died several years ago.

by Lawrence A. RobinsonInteresting. I just received a book from one of my brothers, who still lives in Tampa. The book is titled, 'African Americans Of Tampa'. This is a historical picture book of Tampa and Hillsborough County, Fl. of how Black people, their events and their activities influenced growth and changes in the area. It chronicled the struggles, the wins and losses of 'Negro' life in Florida's 'City by the Bay.'

My family appears in the book several times. There is even an image of me as a toddler, when I was cute and lovable.

Derrick Wallace called me late one evening about two years ago, introduced himself and then asked me if I knew who he was. At that point in time, he and I had never formally met. I knew of him and actually years earlier, I was part of the transition team moving into leadership of the Orange County NAACP as he was moving out of that president's position.

During that phone call, two years ago, he asked me if I would support him. Before I could answer he ask me if there was any reason why I wouldn't support him. I quizzed him on an issue that I knew he had been involved in and asked for clarification.